Seniors in EKU's Honors Program participate in a faculty mentored process that demonstrates the students' ability to locate, evaluate, analyze and synthesize information, in an ethical manner, in order to produce meaningful scholarship. The Honors Senior Thesis, typically a capstone paper or creative project, is the culmination of this process.
Honors Theses from 2021
Male Depression’s Manifestation and Effects on the Individual and Others: Turning the Data Into a Creative Work, Kennedy Carpenter
When the Fire Nation Attacked: A View of the Colonialism and Imperialism Within Avatar: The Last Airbender, Jared M. Christian
The Co-Opting of a Movement: Nationalism’s Effect on the Discussion of Comfort Women in Japan and Korea, Lauren Chugg
The Investigation of Appalachian Public Health, Patricia A. Clem
Smoking Rates Among Nurses: An Ironic Phenomenon, Meagan E. Cosper
Strategies for Socioeconomic Development: A Study of Nonprofit Practices, Alexis L. Dahl Walls
The LGBTQ Health Disparities Gap: Access to Healthcare for LGBTQ Individuals in the United States and the Impact it Has on Their Health, Clarissa E. Dennis
Pulled from the Page: How Science Fiction has Influenced Technology, Hannah S. Edwards
Brains versus Brawn: Militarization and Women in Modern Policing, Emilee Shae Eversole
Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Gypsum Calcination under Fire Exposure, Ethan Andrew Fowlie
Prospective Physical Therapy Education Revisions According to Appalachian Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants, Paige N. Freeman
Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Sports, Willis Gaer
Assessing the Impacts of Juvenile Incarceration in Adult Correctional Facilities, Jazmine Gardner
Injustice Has Been Served: Racial Disparities Within United States Prisons, Jordan L. Gatewood
An Analysis of the Utilization Rates for Eastern Kentucky University’s Fleet of Training Aircraft, Erica J. Gilbert
The Making of Cults: The Factors that Contribute to Membership and the Leaders’ Influence, Chloe Greenidge
More than a Movie Day: The Pedagogical Application of Film in Diversity Education, Jack P. Grimme
Mental Health Related Benefits and Barriers of Exercise among College Students, Madison Hamilton
Exceptional Learners and the Inclusive Classroom, Alicia R. Harris
Making the Comeback from Combat: An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Occupational Therapy for Combat Veterans, Julia A. Hickey
Opioids in Appalachia: Finding a Curative Path, Andrew B. Johnson
To Lip Read Or Not To Lip Read, Anna Kluesener
It’s All About the Ferns: A Literature Review of Species Concepts Referenced in New Pteridophyte Species Described Since 1989, Nicholas A. Koenig
Peeling Off the Proof: Using Peel-Away Polymer Technology in the Collection of Ignitable Liquids During Arson Investigations, Cassidy Laney
Pollinator Gardens and Their Significance, Emma Lee
Nurses' Perceptions of Person-Centered Care in Long-Term Care, Sophia A. Lefevers
Controversial Intelligence Gathering: Deciphering the Actions of the U.S. Intelligence Community to the Public, Rachel E. Lehkamp
Healing Through Play: Relieving Anxieties Caused by Stressors Faced When a Child is in Need of Medical Care, Lilia G. Lorenz
What College Recruiters Don’t Tell You and What You Need to Know During COVID-19, Alyia K. Maulden
Barriers to Identifying Domestic Violence Victims in the Emergency Department: A Nurse’s Perspective, Jordan M. McDaniel
Who I Am and Who I Used to Be, Madelyn McKnight
Crime: An EKU History, Kaitlyn R. Miracle
The Nature of Grief, Emily Montgomery
Shy or Anxious? Examining the Efficacy of School-Based Interventions for Childhood Social Anxiety, Samantha Neuhaus
The Toll of Our New Reality: Analyzing College Students’ Health in a Pandemic & Attitudes Towards COVID-19 Vaccinations, Ciara M. Ochoa
Factors that Influence the Choice to Major in STEM for Latino and non-Latino Students and Professionals, Ivan Olivas
Maintaining Patient Autonomy: Treatment of Disorders of Sexual Development, Bethany A. Orr
The Effects of Technology on the Nursing Process, Olivia Partin
E.T.A. Hoffman: The Creative Influencer of Romantic Music, Lucas J. Reed
Laughing Through Trauma: Healing or Deflecting?, Katelyn Richardson
The School-to-Prison Pipeline & Its Sustainability: How Violent Video Games perpetuate School Violence in the 21st Century, Michael Roberts
Meat, Masks, and Medicine: COVID-19's Impact on Supply Chains, Autumn Robinson
Making A Sexual Murderer: Developmental Theories and Generalization, Kyra Rogers
Instagramming Injustice: Social Media as a Platform for Victim Concerns about Sexual Assault on University Campuses, Alayna Ross
Community Banks Navigate FinTech Partnerships: Enhancing the Customer Experience while Mitigating Risks Involved, Taylor Ross
Perceptions of COVID-19 Vaccines Among College Students, Sydney R. Shepherd
Exploring Mental Health & COVID-19: How a Pandemic Could Become America's Next Mental Health Crisis, Ashley D. Shofner
Effectiveness of Treatment: Understanding Which Variables Influence the Effectiveness of Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Alexandra N. Sievert
“Don’t Make Me Go to the Hospital”: Anxiety Reactions Among Patients Receiving Medical Care, Megan Sizemore
Classical String Quartet: A Transformation to Vocal Jazz, Victoria B. Sizemore
A Case for Literacy: New Hope for Northern Nigeria Through Western Teaching Strategies, Jenna G. Smith
Filmdemic: An Exploration of How COVID-19 Has Changed Student Short Film Production Standards & Processes – Process Statement, Josiah Stendel
Diagnosing a Princess: How Portrayals of Mental Illness in Disney Princesses May Influence Children, Hannah Tanner
The Challenge of Mobile Forensics: Keeping up with the Changes in Mobile Devices, Darius Thomas
Voting Behavior of Southern and Non-Southern Evangelicals, Joshua D. Thomasson
Prescriptivism, Privilege, and Power: How Standard Language Education Empowers and Devalues Learners, Kaitlyn A. VanWay
First-Year Student Orientation Programming: Managing the First and Lasting Impression, Lindsay Volpenhein
Who is in Power and How it Affects Your Taxes, Martin A. Watts
Examining Two Perspectives on Kindergarten Readiness, Chloe Weddington
Developmental Disabilities in Children's Literature: A Creative Project, Alexandra Wertz
What’s in an ACE: The Role of ACE2 in COVID-19’s Tissue Damaging Effects, Christian White
A Study on Healthcare Barriers for Latinos in the United States, Meagan Wilson
Like Biological Clockwork: Time Judgements in Musicians and Non-musicians, Brooklyn Yates
Honors Theses from 2020
Goodbye, Team Basketball: How Superstar Athletes Affect Their Teams’ Retail Success in the NBA, Ryan J. Anglin
The Ultimate Accounting Need: A Universal Set of Accounting Standards, Joshua Cole Bailey
Chronic Illnesses: The Emotion Felt by the Children and Their Families, Abigail S. Barks
Silence is Deafening: Signing vs. Non-signing in the Home and the Impact on Mental Health in the Deaf Community, Holly A. Blades
Evolution of Yahweh: The Changing Interpretation of the Hebrew God Over Time Based on the Stories of the Old Testament, Flynn C. Blanchet
Forget 37 Weeks....Go the Full 40: Improving Maternal and Fetal Outcomes, Dara B. Bockrath
Making and Characterizing Semiconducting Polymer for Organic Electronics, Jessica Bone
"Relentless": The Social Identity of Chronic Illness and Disability, Mary Boujaoude
Boundary Value Problems at Resonance, Justin T. Bowman
A Study of Screen Time and Development in Elementary-Aged Children, Jacquelynn Brian
At Face Value: Factors that Affect the Same Race Bias, Nathaniel A. Britt
"Skin Cancer Types and the Effectiveness of Mohs Surgery Against Them", Andrew M. Brockman
Search for Antibiotic-Producing Microorganisms in Sites Affected by Acid Mine Drainage, Hannah A. Bussell
Lyme Disease in Kentucky: Prevalence, Awareness, and Diagnosis in a Conventionally Low-Endemic Area, Rachel L. Carden OTS
Beyond the Veil of Ignorance: An Analysis of Global Regulations for Assisted Suicide and the Guided Next Steps for America, Abigail B. Coogan
Magnitudes of Effects of Recovery Methodology in the 21st Century, Hannah Cook
The Creation of Nona: A Look at Fantasy Literature, Real Life Trauma, and World-Building, Collin P. Davis
Raising Awareness: Creating a Children’s Book to Reveal the Responsibilities and Cultural Values of Latino/a Children, Edith Del Moral
The Question of Authenticity and the Costs of Cultural Tourism in Peru, Welsy V. Discua
Diversity in Children’s Literature: Gender Identity in the Elementary Classroom, Madeline J. Doolin
The Relationship between Autism and the Multiple Intelligences Theory: Identifying Patterns in Learning for Educational Purposes, Rhiannon M. Duvall
The Effects of Cognitive Training on Neurodegenerative Disease: A Proposed Study, Mark E. Dvornak
Hormones and Your Self-Definition, Allison Dyas
Echoes: Film Noir in the Contemporary Setting, Ahjani Evans
Depression and Mental Health Concerns in the Geriatric Community, William Feltner
The Case for Antonio: A Queer Voice Silenced by Prejudice, Jami Fisher
Quantification of Neurite Degeneration through use of an Optimized and Automated Method, Lauren Fuller
Could the p75 Neurotrophin Receptor p75NTR Help Unlock the Mysteries of Infertility?, Mayci Fullmer
Orff Schulwerk and Autism: Unlocking the Gifts of Students with Autism in the Music Classroom through Orff Schulwerk, McKenzie E. Garrett
Madame Bovary Syndrome: The Female Protagonist's Plight, Audrey C. Giesler
Systematic Review of Integrating Care to Improve Quality of Life Within Chronically Diseased Patients with Mental Illness, Brooke R. Goble
